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Summary of Tentative Agreement, Full-Time Faculty and TA-GA Contract

Summary of key provisions in the Agreement, Full-Time Faculty (tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure-track) and TA-GA, In effect September 1, 2014 through June 30, 2018.

Article VIII - Salary Provisions and Health Insurance Benefits

ATB/Merit Increases

The tentative agreement maintains the pattern of a 50/50 split between the Across-the-Board (ATB) and Merit increases over the 46 months of the contract for the Full-Time Faculty (tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure-track).

In Year One the increase will be ATB, but the 2% has been converted to a flat dollar increase of $2,345 that will go into base salary and will be paid retro to 9/1/14. This means that 60% of the faculty will see an increase greater than the average.

In Year Two there will be a Merit pool of 2%, but individual awards can be in a range of 1% - 10%. The merit consideration process remains the same as in past contracts except that for the first time there will be two pools - one for Tenured/Tenure-Track (TT) faculty and the other for Non-Tenure-Track (NTT) faculty.

In Year Three there will be an ATB increase of 2.125% for all full-time faculty.

In Year Four there will be another Merit pool of 2.125%.

Promotion and Reappointment

We were able to maintain the 10% increase upon promotion. In addition, all TT Assistant Professors will receive a 2.5% increase upon successful reappointment. Assistant Professors who were reappointed prior to September 1, 2014 and currently earn less than $89,000 will also receive the 2.5% increase retro to 9/1/14.

Minimum Salaries

The lowest paid full-time faculty at Rutgers, our NTT Instructors and Assistant Professors, will see dramatic increases in salary under this agreement. The current Academic Year (AY) minimum will increase from $39,058 to $56,169 on 7/1/17. That’s a 43% increase. Assistant Professor minimums will rise from $44,839 to $61,786.

Compensation Review for Full and Distinguished Professors

There is a new review process in the contract that will allow full and distinguished professors to receive separate consideration for sustained excellence, with possible awards of 1% - 2.5%.

TA/GA Salaries

We consciously sought to do something different. Under current state health care law, TA/GAs are vulnerable to increased health care costs immediately upon receiving a salary increase. We sought bonus payments in lieu of increases but ended with provisions for a Professional Development Fund that will provide research and travel funds and summer support for TA/GA members. The fund will have $525,000 in the current year with an increase in each subsequent year of $100,000. Unused funds in a given year will carry over into the following year. Current TA/GA salaries, now fixed for everyone, will become minimum salaries, allowing departments and individuals to agree upon higher salaries where appropriate.

Health Insurance Benefits

Protects members for the life of the contract from any legislated changes to the premium sharing rates currently in effect. So a higher rate than 35% could not be imposed on our members in the middle of the contract period.

Application of “Subject To” Language

For the first time, we define the “subject to” clause of Article VIII. If management determines that a fiscal emergency exists, then it can invoke the clause. But it must give notice to the union. It must provide an explanation of fiscal emergency along with supporting financial documentation. The union will have the ability to negotiate during a notice period and to ultimately challenge management’s action in an expedited 90-day arbitration proceeding.